The Handmade Culinary Collection

Gourmet Healthy Recipes by Chef Brien Seay

So, my culinary training included using and eating a lot of not-so-good-for-you foods. Oh did I love the pork rillettes on a fresh baguette from Pig by the Tail, the triple cream cheeses from the Cheese Board (both conveniently right across the street from Chez Panisse), and then there was that dense chocolate mascarpone torte . . . oh my.

On occasion I even ate donuts, drank soda and I could polish off an inordinate amount of french fries. I won't go on but rest assured that I consumed a lot of great-tasting food that could have turned me into a big-bellied guy. Yes, I had some small love handles but luckily for me I have always been active, so my body remained reasonably fit.

The more I learned about nutrition, the more I wanted to transform my way of eating. I found that with a few adjustments I could easily create flavorful foods without excess fat and sugar. Some things, like the rillettes and foie gras, I gave up. As my body acclimated itself to leaner, healthier fare, I found that too much rich food literally weighed me down. I felt slower and uncomfortable.

Don't get me wrong, I still indulge in some rich treats every once in awhile (thank goodness dark chocolate has been proven to be good in moderation!), but overall my tastes always gravitate toward healthier options. What follows are recipes that use healthful ingredients which are prepared with 'clean' cooking techniques. I enjoy flavorful food, so I try to squeeze as much flavor out of what I prepare as possible. Recipes are merely a starting point, I encourage you to explore and modify. Please feel free to give us feedback and suggestions!

RECIPES

One of the main lessons I learned at Chez Panisse was that simple can be better. This dip mix demonstrates that concept. Three ingredients + one food processor + 5 minutes = a great, healthy dip. This is always popular at our samplings and we get lots of requests for the recipe.

I love a good cup of coffee and Peet's is my favorite (no offense Starbucks). But sometimes too much caffeine makes me jittery and then there is the post caffeine 'low' which is challenging to deal with. I find that this chai tea is not only delicious but gives me a subtle energy boost. It also curbs my appetite a little bit and there are nutritional and health benefits from the black tea and spices. It's a win/win/win!

I don't eat much red meat and tofu only satisfies me when I need a light meal, so that limits my selection of protein somewhat. Turkey is a wonderful lean source of protein and it's a very versatile meat. Surprisingly, I have rarely found a good turkey burger, most are predictably dry and lacking flavor. This confounds me because with the meat being ground, it is so easy to season and mix with things to retain its moisture. This burger has a subtle punch, ok, more like a playful wake-up slap in the face. It's spicy, but not hot. Just warm enough to grab your attention.

I love lentils. They are a true superfood, packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. And, they have a great flavor. Curry, more specifically the a natural compound curcumin in turmeric (a key ingredient in curry), was shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by stopping the growth of cancer prone stem cells. Curcumin has also shown promise in lowering the risk of heart failure and studies published in the American Journal of Epidemiology indicate its use lessens cognitive decline attributed to aging. Besides the health benefits, it just tastes great! Our Roasted Curry is made by toasting some of the ingredients,which brings out their flavor and adds another layer of complexity to the mix.

Brown rice is made by removing just the outer hull of the rice, while white rice becomes white by additionally stripping away the nutritious bran and germ layers. I like brown rice but it isn't very flavorful and one can only do so much with soy sauce. This simple recipe will transform your rice into a rich, elegant and delicious new side dish.

I love a little heat in my foods. Not the sweat-producing, hyperventilating, nose-running kind of heat. I'm not a masochist. That said, chilies are a great, flavorful way to add both nutrition and an exclamation point to a dish...